STAMPEDERS NOTES: Casher back after crash

A car crash kept Chris Casher out of the Calgary Stampeders lineup for a couple days.

That’s it, though.

Less than a week after being in a car wreck – not Casher’s fault – that forced him to sit out the Stamps’ Saturday night win over the Edmonton Eskimos, Casher was back with his teammates at Wednesday’s practice.

Casher, who has been starting at defensive end for most of the season, appeared no worse for wear after the scary incident.

“Unexpected. Stuff happens, it’s life,” Casher said about the crash. “(The Stampeders) just wanted to be on the safe side and make sure I was OK.”

Having Casher in the lineup would be a huge boost for the Stampeders as they prepare to take on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats this weekend.

While he joined the Stamps last September and spent the last two months of the season on the practice roster, 2019 has, for all intents and purposes, been his first chance to make an impression.

And on a Stampeders defensive line that was absolutely brutalized by early-season injuries, Casher has risen to the occasion.

He’s got three sacks and 22 defensive tackles so far in nine games and has also forced a fumble.

Casher has also played every game since Week 1 until the car crash, and the Stampeders are thrilled to have him back in the lineup.

“He looks good, should be back,” said Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson. “Don’t think he has any residual effects from everything. Was definitely a bad break for him.”

Casher admitted as much.

After breaking into the team and solidifying his place, it was definitely frustrating to have to sit out a game as big as the Labour Day Replay in Edmonton.

“Yeah, it was a little frustrating because I didn’t even travel,” Casher said. “I was just at home watching. I was a little upset but the team did good, so I’m OK.”

BACK AT IT

The Stampeders were light on offensive linemen at Tuesday’s practice, with Shane Bergman, Nila Kasitati and Derek Dennis all sitting out.

On Wednesday, though, all three were back with their teammates and participating in all starter drills.

Given the Stamps face a very dangerous Ticats defensive line Saturday (2 p.m., McMahon Stadium) it would be hard to overstate how important that actually is.

“It was encouraging,” Dickenson said. “I think we’ve got a good chance to have a good, clean lineup similar to last week. All the guys who had that day of maintenance were able to get back in practice.”

The one veteran who missed both days was Jamar Wall, although that was because his partner gave birth to a baby girl and he had more important responsibilities than football to take care of.

Wall is one of those veterans who the Stamps can likely play even if he doesn’t practise, although they’re hopeful he’s back on the practice field Thursday.

All things considered, though, the Stampeders came out of their two games against the Edmonton Eskimos in five days looking remarkably healthy.

“These guys, they know how to take care of their bodies and they understand when they need a day,” Dickenson said. “There’s still some things there, we’ve got to go look and make sure (the offensive linemen) are effective, that they can move and that sort of thing.

“But I did like seeing them all out there. We’re playing a defence that does a lot of different things. You can say, ‘I can watch the tape,’ but you need to do it on the field. You need to see it and make the adjustments to have a good game.”

STILL OUT

After missing last weekend’s game against the Eskimos, receiver Markeith Ambles has not practised this week due to an ankle injury.

He will not be in the lineup again this weekend.

“His ankle was bugging him yesterday,” Dickenson said. “He’s certainly trending in a direction where he’s going to need at least another week, but hopefully we get him out as soon as possible.”

With Ambles out, Josh Huff is likely going to start his second game in a row. While he’s appeared in three games this season, it will mark the first time he’s played in two straight.

“(Huff) had a good day today,” Dickenson said. “All my young receivers have been doing a good job, working hard. I thought he had one of his better practices. He’s just getting comfortable with what we do. The other times he’s played he’s kind of been on one game, off. So if it trends in the direction it’s going, he’ll at least get a couple back-to-back games, which I think will help.”